Source identification of klebsiella pneumoniae causing six episodes of recurrent sepsis in an adolescent that underwent hematopoietic stem cell transplantation

Septicemia or bacteremia is one of the leading causes of death worldwide. Long-term tunneled central venous catheters (CVCs) are usually placed in children undergoing chemotherapy or hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) for underlying hemato–oncologic malignancies. However, catheter-related complications have been reported frequently, and there is high morbidity and mortality related to catheter-line-associated bloodstream infections (CLABSIs). We report a rare case of six episodes of recurrent K. pneumoniae sepsis within a 6-month period in a 12-year-old male adolescent that underwent HSCT for acute lymphoblastic leukemia, despite treatment with susceptible antibiotics. The patient received extensive diagnostic evaluations to find the hidden source; however, failure to discover the primary source led to multiple recurrences. Through enterobacterial repetitive intergenic consensus (ERIC)-PCR, we were able to identify the relationship between the six episodes and recognize the source of bacteremia.